Carrboro Commons 1 is ALIVE!

If you want to know what I've been working on the past few weeks instead of posting on my blog, here's your chance. The first issue of the Carrboro Commons, a twice-monthly publication from my Community Journalism class, is finally online!! We got everything wrapped up on Wednesday and I'm real proud of the first issue. It's got some great articles about a Carrboro Scrabble Club, Balloons and Tunes and Figure 8 Films, the company behind "John and Kate Plus 8" and "17 and Counting."

And, of course, there's my article about the Spanish APPLES Service-Learning programs in local elementary schools and the Carrboro community radio station:

When Maisch asked his class to discuss their anxieties about the task ahead, students offered an array of apprehensions: “I’m worried about them understanding us and us understanding them.”
“I’m worried about being really boring.”
“I don’t want them to dread me coming.”
“I’m afraid of the kids not respecting me.”

But this, according to Maisch, is what makes the APPLES Service Learning Program’s partnership with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ Spanish-School Reading Partners program a “match made in heaven.”

“They both get something out of it,” Maisch said. “What the kids get out of it is not just the English; it is more importantly the sense that here is this big, fancy university student and their Spanish is awful and they want to learn how to speak Spanish and it’s like, ‘Hey man, I can already do that. That makes me feel good about who I am.’”

Also, I'm back to work at Uncharted Magazine to get some articles together for the second issue, which should be coming out in March. Look out for some articles from me about Vinyl Records and the High and Mighties. If you still haven't looked at the first issue, check it out here.

Until then.

Uncharted Released!!!

Exciting news, faithful readers! The first issue of Uncharted magazine hits shelves...err...your internet browser today! If you don't remember, Uncharted is a new arts magazine that I'm writing for that reports on music, visual arts and performance art around the UNC-Chapel Hill community.

As of now the magazine is only online in PDF form, but we hope to get the funding to print future issues. Heck, you can print it out on pretty paper and staple it together if you really want to.

This is a pretty packed issue with articles about the band Cloud Cult, a look at CD Alley on Franklin Street, a beautiful photo story entitled "Quench: Eastern Africa's Search for Water," my article about open mic night at Jack Sprat Cafe, and more.

There is also some content online that wasn't put into the magazine, including an article by me about the Avett Brothers show for UNC-CH's homecoming and a profile on Caroline Robinson, a great singer-songwriter who, incidentally, I mentioned (not by name) in my open mic piece.

I think it looks pretty good, but then again I'm a little biased. Check it out, and also check out the Uncharted website where you can register to get e-mail updates, create an artist page, or even upload articles and photos.

Music is Awesome

Hello faithful reader.

I have three awesome musical notes for you guys on this absolutely gorgeous Sunday.

First, I just got done interviewing Tripp and Grace from Vinyl Records UNC, a student-run record label at UNC-Chapel Hill. It was an awesome conversation and I'm so excited about what they will be doing in the coming months now that they have their three bands (Lafcadio, Apollo, Lake Inferior) signed and started on recording. I'll be putting together a full article on them for Uncharted, so be on the lookout for that.

Next, iLike is streaming the new Ryan Adams and the Cardinals album, Cardinology. I'm listening to it now and I'm a fan. But of course I've always loved Ryan Adams so I might be a little biased. Head over to Facebook and take a listen.

Finally, as if Barack Obama hasn't brought enough awesome music to Chapel Hill on behalf of his campaign (Superchunk, Arcade Fire and James Taylor), there will be one final concert in support of the presidential candidate on the terrace of Graham Memorial on UNC's campus. The line-up is a mix of great local artists, new and old:

The dB's
Superchunk
Ivan Rosebud
Megafaun
I Was Totally Destroying It
Bowerbirds
Greg Humphreys
Regina Hexaphone
Portastatic
Billy Bragg

The show will be November 1 from 9am to 1pm. Admission is free and there are no tickets required, so get there early. Even though it's the night after Halloween, I might have to fight through the pain and check out some great music.

Enjoy the music!!

Oh, and GO VOTE!!

Uncharted: UNC's new arts magazine!

For some crazy reason, UNC doesn't have an arts magazine or journal. For being such a rich artistic community (Ackland Art Museum, Playmakers, not to mention the great music scene), this comes as quite a surprise to me. Well fear not, young reader, help is on the way.

Uncharted is a new arts magazine that will be covering the great UNC-Chapel Hill community. There are three "sections" of the magazine -- visual arts, dramatic arts and music. I have started working for the music section (of course) and have already gotten started on a couple of stories for the first issue, which is due to come out sometime around mid or late November (if all goes as planned). At first the issue will be online in a .pdf format.

I'm really excited about getting this thing going after so many failed attempts on a music magazine over the last few years. UNC and Chapel Hill/Carrboro have needed something like this for a long time and the editors really seem dedicated to make it happen.

Check back here for more updates on the magazine, or go to the website: www.uncartmag.com.